Heavy snow forces cancellation of men's downhill at Wengen
The World Cup men's downhill on the classic Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland, was cancelled Saturday due to heavy snowfall and fog.
Organizers said racing in Switzerland's signature ski event was not possible — for the first time since 2004 — despite earlier deciding to start lower down the hill.
Snowfall of up to 45 centimetres overnight continued this morning, and wind gusts around 60 kph complicated work to clear the course.
"Due to the present weather situation and after reviewing the forecast the jury together with the (organizing committee) has decided to cancel today's [downhill]," organizers said in a statement.
Organizers previously said they would not try to race the downhill on Sunday when a slalom is scheduled.
A make-up race is possible in March on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek, Colorado, World Cup officials said Friday when a cancellation was predicted.
The Wengen race, in its 87th year, traditionally opens back-to-back downhill classics with the Hahnenkamm race next Saturday at Kitzbuehel, Austria.
It is the fourth men's downhill cancelled this season including both in North America — Beaver Creek and Lake Louise, Canada — due to lack of snow. They found new dates at Val d'Isere, France, and Kvitfjell, Norway, respectively.
The scheduled race lost last month at Santa Caterina, Italy, has not yet been replaced.
World Cup men's race director Markus Waldner suggested on Friday that Beaver Creek could stage a downhill in the vacant March 10-12 slot, immediately before the men's and women's circuits are due in nearby Aspen for the season-ending finals week races.
Only two races in the marquee discipline have been possible this season. Last month, Kjetil Jansrud of Norway won at Val d'Isere, and Austrian Max Franz won at Val Gardena, Italy.